Observation-car.



R. RODDEN-l OBSERVATION CAR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18. 1909.

Patlltd July-11., 191,1.

LNVENTUH FLMDNT E UMEHY BUDBEN v TNE E E E E i TE @Twas-'rarita oenren9 i nonneeitniir nonnen, or Monrnniin, ennenofcenena;

To all-whom# may concern:l

' lBe4 it known that I, RICHARD Monreoiinnr RODDEN, -o-the Vcity oi' Montreah: in the Province of'QuebecandvDominion of. Can-v ada, have invented certain new and useful f Improvements in Observation-Cars of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description;l

This"invention.y relates to improvements in observation carfconstructiom and the main object is to-.provide a car in'which cach pas senger will have a clear' and unobstructed view of the surrounding sceneryfin all directions from any seat in the car.

A further object'is'to provide a car so constructed that the^passengers sitting vin the rear of each other will have a clear viewv overthe heads .of those sitting in front of them.

A still further object isto provide a car with the smoking and private-compartments in the center` of the car-and'so con` Structed land arrangedthat such compart-r ments willnot obstruct the lview of the other passengers. f a

A still further Objectis to provideaccommodation for'ivhand baggage so that the aisle and footispace'between the seats may befkept free from obstruction. y i Y To accomplish these ob}ects,.l provide a car Vbody preferably vestibuled, hav'ing the floor raised at intervals from the ends of the i car to ya level central portion, the steps loe-v ring preferably of gradually increasing height'as they approach the center 'of the car.v lTrap doors are formed in lthe steps of this false floor -between the seats through whichI `baggage may be lowered into'the space between thetrue and false floors of the car. The sides and'ends ofthe carv tical transverse section on the line 6 7 of.

. Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar view on the line 8-9 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail floor'.

View showing thel construction of the false Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the horizontal or true ioor, l1 the vestibules, .12 the root, and 13 the trucks sup porting the car, all of the ordinary pattern. fr false floor 14 is lformed above the true floor in a series of steps commencing at each end of the car and extending toward the center thereof. The treads 15 of these steps vare of substantially equal width throughout, but the risers 1'6 preferably increase in height `as the steps approach the center of the car. rlhe central portion 1'? of this false floor is level, and in the center 'of the car 'is located the smoking compartment 18 and a private compartment 19, on opposite sides of the central aisleQO. Lavaseries-21 and 22 are located at one end of each of the compartmentslS and 19 across the aislesfrom each other. The l'avatories for purposes of oncealment and to allow the placin'gof awindow over'same, arelowered below the level of the false floor and are reached by short flights of steps Q4,

extending transversely'of the car. The side of the steps away from the lavntories, is guarded by a rail or half partition 25. Small windowed@are suitably located to light the steps 24 vandthe lavatories. The space corresponding to the lavatories at the opposite ends of the compartments 18 and 19 is occupied by seats, and to prev-ent these seats'being on a level, small platforms 27 are formed on each side'of the aisle 2O on which these seats are placed: The win' Adows 2S of necessity decrease in height as they approach the center of the car in order that the sills may always he a suitable distance from the level 'of the seats. These windows are' formed vin three vertical panels, the center panel 29 beingwiderthan" the two side panels 30 which are of equal width. The center panel 29 is placed .as

closely aspossible to the outer surface of .the car, while the side panels 30 extendinwardly at an angle therefrom to the usual point `for inserting the car windows.4 'It will be seen that these windows are in the form-ot' a ha'y'iand will allow a'muchvwider angie of vision than the ordinary windows.

The seats 31 may he of the usual pattern ofreversible seats, as shown, or may be rc placed by fixed or revolving chairs -as is found most desirable.' A number of mov 1u in fact the revela ile i' Jartinentand the pri ing type of chair may be used with advantage throughout the car, as it enables pas` sengers to turn in any direction with great ease. The seats 31 will normally be arranged to face from the center toward the ends of the ycar, as shown, and are preferably located at the edges of the steps so that no two adjacents seatson the same side of the aisle will beonthe samellevel.' The steps may, however, be increased in widt-lr in order to accommodate the seats in pairs, thus allowing them to be reversed to face either way, according to'the inclinationfof the occupant.

A plurality of trap doors 33 are formed in the false Hoor between the seats, as shown in Fig. 5, and communicate with the spaces between the t'rue and false floors. These. spaces may be divided into' compartments 34 in order that the baggage of passengersmay,

be placed therein without obstructing the aisles, If so desired, a flexible gate such as that indicated in dotted lines 35'in Fig. 5, may be secured to the under side of the door 33, so that the opening of the trap doorv will raise the gate and prevent unwary passengers from stepping through the open-ing.

The ends ofthe car are provided with windowsy 36 so as not to obstruct the view from yeither end of the car. The smoking and private compartments are provided on -the outside with the usual bay windows 29 and 3,0, and on the inside with Windows-@T while' at each end of the/smolii'g'hnd privatecompartmentsuwindows or glass partitions 38 and 39 vare provided so that no part ofthe car.'will obstruct the view from any direction.'

It will be understood that the top o r ceiling 40 ofthe lavatories, is. below the level of the eye and a view may be had above the ceiling 40 through the windows 23 and through the windows Vor glass partitions of lthe central compartments.

The advantages of this construction will be readily apparent as an observation car of this type will permita clear and unobstr'ucted view from all points without any annoyance from smoke or dust. Freedom of movement in the car and the comfort of 'passengers willbe Greatly increased by the absence of baggage 1n the aisles and between the seats.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1.I In a car of the .class described, a plu- `,rality of seats arranged on a floor sloping upwardly from .both ends of the car to the center thereof.

V 2. In a car of the class described, afloor formed of a plurality of steps ascending from`the ends of the car to a level central' portion.

3. In acar of the classdescribed, a floor 'composed of a plurality of transverse steps -^closures on said level portion of the floor,

and seats arranged on the steps.

5. In an observation car, a ioor composed of a plurality of transverse steps of unequal height ascending from the ends of the car toward the center thereof, a level central portion connecting-said steps, a plurality of glass inclosures on said level port-ion of the- `tloor, seats arranged on thesteps, and doors `in the floor between the seats.

6. In an observation car, a floor composed of a plurality of transverse steps of unequal height ascending from the ends of the lcar toward the center thereof, a level central portion connecting said ste-ps, a plurality of glass inclosures on said level portion of the' floor, seats arranged on the steps,

doors inthe floor between the seats, and a plurality of bay Windows in the sides of the car decreasing in height as the floor ascends.

7 An observation car of the character described having the sides, ends and partitions thereof formed of glass, and adjustable seats arranged on a floor sloping vupwardly from both ends to the car to the center thereof.

8. An observation car`of the character described having the seats arranged on a ioor sloping'upwardly from bothl ends of the car to the central portion thereof, and the lavatories and private compartments locabed centrally of the car.

Witnesses:

STUART R. W. ALLEN, E. R. MCKENZIE.

Y In witness whereof I have hereunto set 

